Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Mar 7: Malpe Purse Seine Boat Fishermen's Association has asserted that undertaking fishing activity with the help of lights is not illegal. The association says that some people who are not aware of the facts, with monetary support and political clout of some leaders have been making baseless allegations against the purse seine fishermen.

President of the association, Yashodhara Ameen, said that fingerlings and fish eggs do not get destroyed as purse seine fishermen use fishing nets with hole size of 45 mm. He invited experts from the concerned departments to undertake verification when the fish stock is unloaded from boats undertaking light fishing.

"Deep sea fishermen continue with trawling all 24 hours of the day, catch even mini size fingerlings with nets having hole size of 35 mm and destroy eggs. They catch ten to 20 tonnes of young fish of different variety on an average. The experts can check when unloading their fish caches," the fishermen stated.

The fishermen said that the central government has allowed use of engines with a capacity of up to 280 horse power for fishing but deep sea fishermen use 490 HP engines. They wanted to know whether this is not a violation of law.

The association said that thousands of fishermen are eking out a living through light fishing and purse seine boat owners have raised huge loans from banks for acquiring boats and nets. Therefore, the association has urged the high court to review its order and do justice to them. The association has accused president of Malpe Deep Sea Trawl Boat Association, Kishore D Suvarna, of owning high handed attitude and giving rise to differences between the fishermen by spreading wrong information and without obtaining permission of the department and fishermen's associations as per rules.